《道門科範大全集》Vol. 75

This scripture records the ritual protocols of the Shangqing (Highest Clarity) tradition, a major Daoist school, used for redeeming deceased souls and relieving suffering. It was compiled and revised by the renowned Tang dynasty Daoist master Guangcheng Xiansheng (Venerable Broad Completion), Du Guangting.

The ritual requires the use of Huanglu (Yellow Register documents for Daoist purification rites) and adherence to the Ten Precepts of Cultivating Truth, employing the Mingzhen Suqi Ceremony (a preparatory purification ritual) derived from the ancient Five Refinements for Reviving the Corpse rite. The ceremony particularly emphasizes soul redemption, following the mutual aid liturgy established by Wanfu Tianshi (Celestial Master of Myriad Blessings), requiring repentance for sins and dispelling misfortunes throughout the entire process from illness to death.

The text states: Achieving immortality through Daoist cultivation requires guidance from teachers, while transcending the mundane demands assistance from fellow practitioners. Teachers should be revered like parents, and fellow disciples treated as brothers - one must respectfully and harmoniously follow their teachings. When practitioners retreat to mountains far from relatives and fall ill, they can only rely on fellow disciples to prepare medicinal decoctions. At life's end, fellow practitioners should chant scriptures, perform rituals, submit memorials of repentance, and assist in soul redemption. This sacred duty between life and death represents the highest obligation.

The specific procedure is: When a master or fellow practitioner passes away, disciples must gather and select the most virtuous among them to lead the ceremony, with others arranged according to seniority. Participants must bathe, change into clean robes, and erect an altar to summon deities. For sudden deaths or emergencies, simplified procedures may be performed immediately; for prearranged ceremonies, standard protocols apply.

During morning rituals, practitioners must ascend the altar according to regulations. Participants should devoutly visualize the patriarchs while reciting the "Guardian Spirit Incantation": "Golden radiance illuminates the Three Pure Heavens, flying clouds encircle celestial palaces, dawn dispels darkness. The Nine Subtle Stars vibrate through emptiness, the Five Planets revolve in cycles. Ten thousand heavens resonate with the mysterious Dao, spreading light throughout the cosmos. The Mysterious Pearl (referring to Neidan internal elixir) shines upon the ritual platform, blessing beings in the underworld. Demon kings retreat in fear as the Three Dantian (upper/middle/lower energy centers) unite with the Dao."

Following this, the ritual drum is struck twenty-four times to summon the primordial Three Qi (supreme energies of the formless heavens) of the highest Sanqing deities, along with the Supreme Dao Lord and Supreme Elder Lord, while invoking the internal guardian spirits (Gongcao officers) within practitioners' bodies to assist in the ceremony.

This scripture depicts the sacred scene of invoking deities during a Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual). Within the ritual space, thirty-six divine beings assemble in solemn attire with flowing ribbons and ceremonial headdresses: incense-bearing dragon-mounted couriers, golden boys attending the incense, jade maidens scattering blossoms to convey messages, emissaries from the Five Directional Celestial Emperors, and the day's appointed incense officials.

The presiding priest (humbly referred to as "your servant") burns incense at dawn while practicing the Dao, sincerely conveying devotees' petitions to the celestial court. He prays for the descent of the supreme "Supreme Dao-Qi (vital energy) of the Ten Directions" (primordial qi) and the "Auspicious Radiance of Numinous Treasure" (propitious spiritual light) to flow into his being, ensuring swift transmission of these petitions to the heavens.

The text then enumerates the august deities being invoked: the highest Daoist divinities, the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) (Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning, Great Dao Lord of Supreme Purity, and Supreme Elder Lord); important celestial sovereigns including the Jade Emperor, the Great Emperor of Polaris, and the Purple Tenuity Emperor; salvation deities like the Heavenly Worthy Who Relieves Suffering and the Empress of Earth; stellar deities, the Three Officials (Celestial, Earthly and Water Officials), ancestral masters, and thunder department generals; immortals from earth palaces, water palaces, and sacred mountains; concluding with local deities like City Gods (Chenghuang) and Earth Gods (Tudi).

The priest humbly describes himself as "a lowly being of meager substance," acknowledging his Daoist initiation and study of profound methods while confessing his continued earthly cultivation, not yet transcending worldly dust. This passage vividly illustrates the solemn "communion with the sacred" in Daoist ritual, where meticulous liturgy and devout prayer bridge the three realms of heaven, earth, and humanity.

This scripture describes the complete procedure of a Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual). During the ceremony, priests invoke divine blessings through incense burning and scripture recitation.

The ritual begins with the lighting of the first incense stick, offered to the "Three Supreme Venerables" (referring to the highest triad of deities: Yuanshi Tianzun, Lingbao Tianzun, and Daode Tianzun). With sincere devotion, the priests pray that these meritorious deeds may guide ancestral souls to ascend to the celestial realms, while also beseeching longevity for the reigning emperor, peace for the nation, and prosperity for the common people. The congregation then chants in unison, "Merge with the Dao and attain perfection" (Yu Dao He Zhen), expressing the aspiration to unite with the supreme Dao.

Next, the second incense stick is lit and offered to the "Venerable Scriptures of the Great Dao" (essential Daoist texts). The priests dedicate these merits to deceased patriarchs and faithful devotees, praying for their liberated souls to roam freely in the immortal realms, while simultaneously dispelling misfortunes for their living descendants and safeguarding the disciples of the tradition.

Finally, the third incense stick is lit in honor of the "Three Supreme Masters" (referring to the lineage-transmitting patriarchs). The priests pray for cultivators to gain wisdom, comprehend the true meaning of the Dao, and ultimately achieve immortality with their names inscribed in the celestial registers. The entire ceremony proceeds in a solemn and reverent atmosphere, with the three incense offerings embodying the Daoist religious pursuit of "delivering the netherworld and ascending to higher realms."

The recurring phrase "Merge with the Dao and attain perfection" represents a core cultivation goal in Daoism, signifying the practitioner's ultimate union with the supreme Dao through spiritual practice. Such Keyi (liturgy) demonstrates Daoism's religious functions of mediating between humans and deities, redeeming the deceased, and praying for universal peace.

This passage describes the invocation segment of a Daoist zhaijiao ritual (a ceremonial offering). The ritual master leads the congregation in devout prayers to various deities, seeking salvation for a deceased master.

The ceremony begins with participants offering incense and prostrations while taking refuge in Daoism's highest divinities. The text enumerates numerous sacred titles: the Celestial Worthy of Primordial Beginning (Yuanshi Tianzun, Daoism's supreme deity), the Great Lord of the Dao (Taishang Daojun), the Supreme Elder Lord (Taishang Laojun) — collectively known as the Three Pure Ones (Sanqing) — along with important celestial deities like the Jade Emperor (Yuhuang Dadi) and the Purple Tenuity Emperor (Ziwei Dadi), as well as earth deities who govern life/death and relieve suffering.

The ritual master humbly identifies himself as a mortal who has only attained the privilege of conducting the ceremony through the Dao's grace. He makes special supplications for his departed master: fearing the master might have inadvertently violated Daoist precepts and offended the deities during his lifetime; or suffered from unfavorable interactions of the Five Phases (Wuxing) and Eight Trigrams (Bagua) in his destiny; or carried unresolved karmic debts from past lives through malicious curses; even worrying the departed soul might be harassed by evil spirits, preventing liberation.

Thus the ritual assembly is convened to beseech the deities' compassion, that the deceased master may escape the underworld and ascend to the immortal realms. Specific petitions include: riding the solar chariot in the Purple Tenuity paradise, soaring on clouds through cinnabar-hued palaces, departing the dark underworld to rise toward the Crimson Palace in the south (in Daoist physiology representing either the heart or upper Dantian). The ultimate aspiration is for the master to attain the ability to transmit the Three Caverns scriptures (Dongzhen, Dongxuan, Dongshen — the comprehensive Daoist canon) and protect worldly peace.

This text demonstrates how Daoist salvation rituals employ meticulous liturgical procedures (Keyi) to petition celestial beings for the deceased's liberation. Incorporating Daoist cosmology — including its pantheon, cultivation stages, and Yin-Yang/Five Phases theory — it serves as important documentation for studying Daoist ceremonial liturgy.

This scripture is a prayer and dedication text from the Daoist Zhaijiao (purification ritual) liturgy, comprising three main sections:

First, the ritual master (Fashi) attains the state of "radiant embodiment" (a mystical union with the Dao), where his wisdom-light illuminates the cosmos, guiding beings beyond the cycle of life and death. It expresses prayers for national stability, favorable weather, imperial prosperity, as well as cultivators' strengthened devotion, awakened wisdom, and swift realization of the Dao to become celestial protectors.

The central "Twelve Vows" form the core supplications, including: liberating ancestral spirits, pacifying households and territories, promoting the ranks of dragon deities and earth gods (Daoist guardian spirits), protecting all beings, and extending grace to the underworld. Notably, these vows must both manifest the compassion of the Celestial Venerables (highest Daoist deities) and align with devotees' sincere intentions.

The concluding "Returning to the Brazier" ceremony summons incense officials, dragon-tiger generals (guardian spirits), and other divine emissaries. It dedicates the merits of morning practice to attract auspicious signs like the Golden Elixir (Jinye) and numinous herbs (Zhiying), while requesting immortal youths and maidens to swiftly deliver these prayers to the Three Supreme Deities: the Jade Emperor of the Vast Heaven (highest celestial ruler), the Eastern Savior Qingxuan God (redeemer of suffering), and other sacred beings.

The closing "Processional Hymn" marks the master's exit from the altar, completing the ceremony. This text exemplifies the Daoist ideal of "repaying four kindnesses above while relieving three sufferings below," seamlessly integrating personal cultivation with universal salvation.